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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · content · stock · chest · fork · root · firm · mark

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chest — a box
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stock — goods
  7. content — happy
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. root — the cause
  10. stock — shares
  11. mark — a grade
  12. content — the amount
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. firm — decided
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pit — a hole
  18. chest — of your body
  19. root — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pit — in a race
  23. firm — steady
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com